US House of Representatives Impeaches Trump

The US Congress House of Representatives has voted in favor of the impeachment of President Donald Trump on the grounds of "abuse of power." The majority of lawmakers, represented by the Democrats, voted for Trump's impeachment, while the Republicans voted against it.

In favor of the first article of impeachment, 230 lawmakers voted, including one independent, while 197 voted against it, including two Democrats. One person abstained.

According to the committee, Trump committed constitutional and criminal offenses by attempting to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to initiate an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump's main opponent in the 2020 presidential elections.

The trial will now move to the upper chamber of Congress, where the Senate will conduct proceedings as outlined in the country's constitution. To remove Trump from office, a two-thirds majority of senators is required; however, the Republican majority currently indicates it will not vote against the president.

Throughout US history, the House of Representatives has initiated impeachment proceedings only twice—against Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. In both instances, the Senate acquitted the presidents. Trump is the 45th president of the country and intends to run for a second term in 2020.